Ms. Samuella Faith Lepter's Obituary
Samuella Faith (Lowe) Lepter was born January 28, 1950 in Spencer, West Virginia, to Frederick and Hazel (Koon) Lowe. She went to be with her Lord on August 14, 2016.
She is survived by her husband John Douglas Lepter, to whom she was married one week shy of 45 years. She is also survived by her son John Wesley Lepter Sr. and his wife, Pamela Jane, and four grandsons, John Cody Lepter, John Wesley Lepter Jr., Austin William Lepter, and Patrick Ryan Lepter. Living is her brother David Harold Lowe and wife, Dottie, with several nieces and nephews and their families. Also surviving is a sister-in-law, Nancy Kern and her husband Randy, with their son and daughter.
Samuella (Sammy) was preceded in death by her parents, Frederick Lee Lowe and Hazel (Koon) Lowe, brother Gordon Lowe, brother Ethan Lowe and his wife, Jackie. There are three surviving nephews and a niece with families from these brothers.
Samuella graduated from Akron (Ohio) Ellet High School. She received an A.A. degree in Elementary Education from Mount Vernon (Ohio) Nazarene College. She was a member of that college’s very first student body and graduated with the Pioneer Class in 1970. Sammy went on to earn a B.A. in Elementary Education from Eastern Nazarene College (Quincy, MA), graduating in 1972. It was there she meet her husband to be in October 1970 and they married the following August. In 1996 she earned a Master of Education in Instructional Effectiveness degree from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, TN.
Across the years Samuella had opportunities to teach and even directed a day care center in Lexington, Kentucky, while her husband pursued graduate studies. The last ten years of teaching were with Nashville (TN) Metro Davidson County Schools at Hattie Cotton School in East Nashville. She was a second grade teacher until physical challenges dictated retirement in 2002.
But Samuella was also a minister’s spouse and teammate. The Lepters served congregations in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, and Kentucky for the first seventeen years of their marriage. That included two years as evangelists during which Sammy provided ministry in song as a beautiful vocalist. After Doug’s completion of doctoral work at the University of Kentucky and subsequently joining the faculty at Trevecca Nazarene University in 1992, the Lepters continued to provide
pastoral ministry at the Inglewood Church of the Nazarene on two occasions. Self-described as a “social butterfly,” Sammy endeavored to build relationships with her parishioners that she counted as dear friends.
Samuella was an avid gardener and her better years were spent happily “digging in the dirt.” Family members remember her strong admonitions about not cutting her flowers when mowing! She was a very creative person and loved baking uniquely decorated cakes for family members’ birthdays and annually crafting individual Christmas tree ornaments for each family member to keep. They always came with a spiritual encouragement written on the back. She loved to read, watch her favorite TV programs, keep an eye on the various birds at the back yard feeder, and listen to gospel music. There were special cats as pets over the years; Puff, Silky, and now Miss Muffett. Beauregard the Labrador Retriever was ever at her side and will miss her.
Samuella suffered a lot physically over the years, chasing down one illness after another with multiple surgeries and treatments. Pain was a constant companion lately. However, there was a quality of grace and love that permeated those days and interactions. She loved the Lord. The family affirms that there was a spiritual steadfastness present as a shining example throughout all those years. She was loved by God and she loved Him and others and now has eternity to enjoy the presence of her Savior. Her last desire was that all of her family would know, love, and serve Jesus.
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